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Difficulty: MediumGilded Age Politics and the Populist Movement

Now the People’s Party says to these two classes, 'You are kept apart that you may be separately fleeced of your earnings. You are made to hate each other because upon that hatred is built the keystone of the arch of financial despotism which enslaves you both. You are deceived and abused that monopoly may rule you.'

— Thomas E. Watson, 'The Negro Question in the South,' 1892

Which of the following best describes the primary obstacle that Watson and other Southern Populists faced when attempting to implement the strategy of cooperation advocated in the excerpt?

  1. A
    The Populist movement's goals were fully achieved when urban Progressive reformers enacted the Seventeenth Amendment, ending regional political machines.
  2. B
    Federal regulatory policies in the Gilded Age strictly adhered to laissez-faire principles, preventing any government intervention in the southern agricultural economy.
  3. The dominant Democratic Party in the South successfully neutralized the Populist challenge by appealing to white supremacy and exploiting racial divisions among poor farmers.Answer
  4. D
    Southern Populists focused their efforts on advocating for the Dawes Severalty Act to break up large corporate plantations into individual family farms.

Answer

The dominant Democratic Party in the South successfully neutralized the Populist challenge by appealing to white supremacy and exploiting racial divisions among poor farmers.
Watson's appeal for cooperation between black and white farmers directly threatened the hegemony of the Democratic Party in the South. In response, southern Democrats successfully neutralized the Populist threat by appealing to white supremacy, warning of 'Negro rule,' and implementing Jim Crow segregation and disenfranchisement measures (like poll taxes and literacy tests) that shattered the potential for a biracial agrarian political coalition.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the source text to identify the author's strategy.
Thomas E. Watson advocates for cooperation between poor white and black farmers, arguing that they are kept apart by racial hatred to benefit economic monopolies.
To understand the core message and intent of the Populist strategy in the South.
2
Recall the political dynamics of the Gilded Age South.
The Democratic Party maintained control (the 'Solid South') by leveraging racial solidarity among white voters and using intimidation and disenfranchisement against black voters.
To evaluate the historical context and obstacles that prevented the successful coalition of white and black farmers.
3
Evaluate the options to identify the primary obstacle.
The Democratic Party's appeal to white supremacy and exploitation of racial divisions directly undermined the biracial agrarian coalition sought by the Populists.
To determine which option accurately aligns with the historical challenge faced by Southern Populists.

Key Concept

The challenges and limitations of the Populist movement's biracial coalition in the Gilded Age South.
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Gilded Age Politics and the Populist Movement

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